I am so excited about this book and Pat's review brought a smile to my face because it seems that everything I loved about The Name of the Wind is still very much the core of what The Wise Man's Fear is about.

Which is the reason why, in my humble opinion, those who liked TNotW will love TWMF, and why I saw that those readers who were not all that impressed with Rothfuss' debut need not bother.

Aaaah the wonder of opinions I have to stick my oar in here, to balance the scales as it were. With the greatest respect Pat, there's some stuff in your review that is simply....well, I found it misleading, to be honest. The University section is patently not a tedious retreading of old ground. To suggest that Rothfuss wastes 400 pages telling us the same stuff all over again is disingenuous to say the least. This section is full of tension and adventure, the deepening of Kvothe's knowledge, some truly wonderful moments with Elodin, Auri, Kilvin and Hemme, the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, powerful confrontations...honestly, it sounds like you read a different book to me. It is a wonderful section.

As for Rothfuss 'holding back', not deepening the world? Again, we must've read different books. The scope of WMF is extremely broad - culturally, geographically, he takes us to some incredible places. We gain deep insights into language, power, history, and watch Kvothe grow in power and character.

Anyway, that's just my alternative view, in case people felt the wind (ahem) knocked out them a bit. I had to chime in because I fell deeply in love with NOTW, and was worried that he wouldn't be able meet my expectations with WMF. He surpassed them in every single way.

Aaaah the wonder of opinions I have to stick my oar in here, to balance the scales as it were. With the greatest respect Pat, there's some stuff in your review that is simply....well, I found it misleading, to be honest. The University section is patently not a tedious retreading of old ground. To suggest that Rothfuss wastes 400 pages telling us the same stuff all over again is disingenuous to say the least. This section is full of tension and adventure, the deepening of Kvothe's knowledge, some truly wonderful moments with Elodin, Auri, Kilvin and Hemme, the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, powerful confrontations...honestly, it sounds like you read a different book to me. It is a wonderful section.

As for Rothfuss 'holding back', not deepening the world? Again, we must've read different books. The scope of WMF is extremely broad - culturally, geographically, he takes us to some incredible places. We gain deep insights into language, power, history, and watch Kvothe grow in power and character.

Anyway, that's just my alternative view, in case people felt the wind (ahem) knocked out them a bit. I had to chime in because I fell deeply in love with NOTW, and was worried that he wouldn't be able meet my expectations with WMF. He surpassed them in every single way.

Thank you and well said. Pat's review was extremely well written. All of his reviews are but I found all the nit picking strange given that I never found any of the issues he complained about present in The Name of the Wind. Those same issues he states are present in The Wise Man's Fear. Obviously I have yet to read WMF so of course I can't comment on the new issues he brings up but they just didn't seem to be problematic. For me it matters little but I did have concern given the amount of hits this website gets that the review might turn some away from what I have no doubt is going to be a fantastic book.

Dammit I am starting a blog just so I can start getting ARCs of all these amazing books!!

The University section is patently not a tedious retreading of old ground. To suggest that Rothfuss wastes 400 pages telling us the same stuff all over again is disingenuous to say the least. This section is full of tension and adventure, the deepening of Kvothe's knowledge, some truly wonderful moments with Elodin, Auri, Kilvin and Hemme, the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, powerful confrontations...honestly, it sounds like you read a different book to me. It is a wonderful section.

Like Third Eye, I have not read WMF either. However, your description above of the University events does sound like a retread of old ground to me. Those are all things that were done previously in NOTW. Like you said, it is all the matter of opinion, and some people will like it and some will not. Taking whether or not it is good or bad out of the equation though, it does sound like we will be returning to the University and revisiting some themes though.

I think Pat's point, again, appears to be valid. If you loved NOTW, you will love WMF. If you didn't, you will view it a bit as more of the same.

Like Third Eye, I have not read WMF either. However, your description above of the University events does sound like a retread of old ground to me. Those are all things that were done previously in NOTW. Like you said, it is all the matter of opinion, and some people will like it and some will not. Taking whether or not it is good or bad out of the equation though, it does sound like we will be returning to the University and revisiting some themes though.

I think Pat's point, again, appears to be valid. If you loved NOTW, you will love WMF. If you didn't, you will view it a bit as more of the same.

Gotta disagree with this. Phil, who read the ARC, just expressed the exact opposite sentiment. Rothfuss isn't revisiting the same subject matter he is continuing to tell the story of Kvothe. The university years are vital think of where Rothfuss left off. Kvothe still has quite a lot to learn before he becomes the most powerful wizard in the Four Corners. I think it would be absurd NOT to continue where NOTW left off. It would be ridiculous to start WMF with a Kvothe that just miraculously becomes this uber powerful character. I want to read the story of how it happens and I don't care how many pages it takes which is a testament to Rothfuss's remarkable talent and skill. Phil just made it clear that quite a lot goes on during the opening pages and what is going on is engaging and relevant to plot development.

I respect Pat. I think he writes great reviews and he seems like a nice dude. But again I have to wonder how much of his review is colored by his taste in fantasy. Go read the Memories of Ice review. I cannot comprehend how that could ever get a 10/10. Erikson's prose isn't in the same universe as Rothfuss and his plot lines are thin and disjointed. Nothing engaging in terms of character development unless Marvel is your cup of tea. I could understand Pat giving A Game of Thrones a 10/10 (not that I would) or Mieville's Perdido Street Station but Erikson? Just seems like quite a bit of personal preference.

All that aside is any review completely critically accurate? Outside of standard literary constructs taste is going to color any perspective. I suspect the true measurement comes when a book is reviewed by a broad range of both authors and publishers. When you get enough reviews naturally you will get a more accurate perspective on how the book is being received. Given the critical acclaim NOTW received and the buzz already surrounding WMF I suspect we are all in for something special.

I respect Pat. I think he writes great reviews and he seems like a nice dude. But again I have to wonder how much of his review is colored by his taste in fantasy. Go read the Memories of Ice review. I cannot comprehend how that could ever get a 10/10. Erikson's prose isn't in the same universe as Rothfuss and his plot lines are thin and disjointed. Nothing engaging in terms of character development unless Marvel is your cup of tea. I could understand Pat giving A Game of Thrones a 10/10 (not that I would) or Mieville's Perdido Street Station but Erikson? Just seems like quite a bit of personal preference.

Well I would give NoTW a 6/10, while MoI a 10/10. Then again I generally dislike rating systems. They just seem very pointless and invite flamewars, not to mention you can't really portray how much you like a book(or movie) via a number or letter or stars.

Just found NoTW very lame, apart from the writing, and everything after Kvoth entering the University felt very, but very uninteresting. Also there was no real ending, it just kinda stopped. And wasn't the biggest fan of the dragoncow. Was not feeling the overall vibe out it, after those really cool first 200 or so pages.

While in MoI, I was entertained during all of the book and involved with the world and characters.(even the clone ones!) Does that mean that MoI(and for that matter the whole of Malazan) doesn't have massive flaws? Not it doesn't. But when Erikson hits his mark he does it wonderfully. Flaws or not. I just didn't get that from NotW. But anyway I'm not Pat and I'm sure he has his own reasons.

Moving on:
While I'm not over enthusiastic with WMF,(Even though I'll buy the hardback version if possible, I'm that kind of an idiot) I do hope Rothfuss manages to bring me into his world as Erikson did with Malazan.
Though hearing that a big chunk of the novel is in the University is not good news. I was guessing that part would be solved pretty quickly at the start of the novel and Kvothe could move on into his crazy adventures, which was what it was being advertised in the back of the novel. Never it said "I spent countless days pondering the financial status of my life.", I hope future editions they put that in.

Well I would give NoTW a 6/10, while MoI a 10/10. Then again I generally dislike rating systems. They just seem very pointless and invite flamewars, not to mention you can't really portray how much you like a book(or movie) via a number or letter or stars.

Forget what story you like. Purely from a literary standpoint you can sit with a straight face and tell me Erikson is a 10/10 level author?

From a literary standpoint(whatever that means) no he is not. And cause you going down this road nor is Patrick Rothfuss. They probably share the same level and everything. ^^ Rothfuss is no Gene Wolfe or Jack Vance or Mervyn Peake. And depending on how broad your fantasy term is, his no Jorge Luis Borges or Gabriel Garcia Marques.

From a literary standpoint(whatever that means) no he is not. And cause you going down this road nor is Patrick Rothfuss. They probably share the same level and everything. ^^ Rothfuss is no Gene Wolfe or Jack Vance or Mervyn Peake. And depending on how broad your fantasy term is, his no Jorge Luis Borges or Gabriel Garcia Marques.

Rothfuss is absolutely on the same level as Gene Wolfe. Vance has more relevance in the science fiction realm and I don't consider the Borges of the world to be fantasy. Even bringing up Borges and Marques in this context seems a bit much. Should I throw Dunsany into the equation? We really should agree to disagree.

Gotta disagree with this. Phil, who read the ARC, just expressed the exact opposite sentiment. Rothfuss isn't revisiting the same subject matter he is continuing to tell the story of Kvothe. The university years are vital think of where Rothfuss left off. Kvothe still has quite a lot to learn before he becomes the most powerful wizard in the Four Corners. I think it would be absurd NOT to continue where NOTW left off. It would be ridiculous to start WMF with a Kvothe that just miraculously becomes this uber powerful character. I want to read the story of how it happens and I don't care how many pages it takes which is a testament to Rothfuss's remarkable talent and skill. Phil just made it clear that quite a lot goes on during the opening pages and what is going on is engaging and relevant to plot development.

Perhaps to you and Phil, both of whom loved the first book, it isn't revisiting the same subject matter. To others that did not love the first book, it is starting off the first 400 pages with yet more of the same. You, admittedly, do not care how long it takes to get to the point of the story, as you are enjoying the ride. It provides you with a different viewpoint than myself. To me, everything that Phil described to show it is different just reminded me of the first book.

That is not to say that it is good or bad. Rothfuss should be writing the story as he envisioned it and should appeal to the hardcore fans rather than trying to find some happy medium between critics and admirers in which he probably would fail to appease either side.

Originally Posted by 3rdI

I respect Pat. I think he writes great reviews and he seems like a nice dude. But again I have to wonder how much of his review is colored by his taste in fantasy. Go read the Memories of Ice review. I cannot comprehend how that could ever get a 10/10. Erikson's prose isn't in the same universe as Rothfuss and his plot lines are thin and disjointed. Nothing engaging in terms of character development unless Marvel is your cup of tea. I could understand Pat giving A Game of Thrones a 10/10 (not that I would) or Mieville's Perdido Street Station but Erikson? Just seems like quite a bit of personal preference.

All that aside is any review completely critically accurate? Outside of standard literary constructs taste is going to color any perspective. I suspect the true measurement comes when a book is reviewed by a broad range of both authors and publishers. When you get enough reviews naturally you will get a more accurate perspective on how the book is being received. Given the critical acclaim NOTW received and the buzz already surrounding WMF I suspect we are all in for something special.

I have not read an Erikson novel yet, so I cannot comment on whether or not a book in his series is worthy of a 10 or not. I do agree with your thought that a greater sense of a novel's worth comes from a cumulative consensus of many, rather than putting too much weight in a single review, whether it is positive or negative.

I also agree that WMF seems peaked to deliver on all expectations that fans have built up over the last several years, and considering how lofty those have become, that is no small accomplishment. It does not appear that Rothfuss will fall prey to any sort of 'sophomore slump' and deliver something that all parties find to be disappointing. And I am happy for that, as it will mean a rock star type of feeling when WMF is finally released and the level of excitement in bookstores around the fantasy sections will be escalated. I am a big enough dork to feed off of that and enjoy it, even if the series isn't one of my personal favorites.